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PHILIPPINE MAGNA CARTA FOR INFORMAL WORKERS PUSHED

Broad based policy advocacy for a rights-based  legislation for informal workers, who now comprise 24.6 million or 76 percent of total employed, took a significant leap with the formation of MAGCAISA (Magna Carta for the Informal Sector Alliance) in October 2OO7. 

MAGCAISA is a loose coalition of POs, NGOs and academe-based institutions with a long record of  involvement in informal worker issues.  The driving forces of the coalition include Homenet Philippines, which has 23 groups dealing mostly with homebased workers working together under its banner; the Association of Construction and Informal Workers (ACIW) and the National Union of Building and Construction Workers (NUBC);  and  ASAPHIL, which includes tricycle and other small transport operators.
MAGCAISA is lobbying for House Bill 1955, known as the Magna Carta for Workers in the Informal Economy, was filed by Rep. Dan Fernandez in the Philippine House of Representatives second week of August. (A copy of the bill can be downloaded from www.homenetseasia.org)
This bill, based on a previous version filed earlier by Rep. Juan Angara, was the result of months of advocacy and critiquing spent by Homenet Philippines and one of its most active member organizations, the Democratic Socialist Women of the Philippines. Its main contents were presented to Rep. Fernandez by network members in a dialogue held last week of July. After further comment and refinement, the revised version was filed as HB 1955 and became the subject of press conference held August 14 at the Sulo Hotel.
The next step will be the committee hearings where various versions of the Magna Carta will be discussed and reconciled.